Snow, frigid temperatures, flight problems

Vigorous weather, initially as snow and then as sharply lower temperatures, will be factors of concern to Chicagoans in the near future. The passage of a strong low pressure system across the Midwest suggests we can expect several inches of snow on Friday followed by sub-zero temperatures on New Year’s day.
The federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) has released surprising statistics concerning the causes of passenger slowdowns in U.S. airports—including such factors as flight delays, cancelled flights, air traffic congestion and weather. BTS statistics challenge the popular notion that adverse weather is the main cause of commercial flight problems.
Surprisingly, airline issues (such as staffing shortages and mechanical problems) were, in total, greater contributors to passenger slowdowns than bad weather.
--By Richard Koeneman, WGN Weather Center Meteorologist